I read a couple of years ago that the Queen and Prince Philip went regularly to have tea at Edward and Sophie's home and catch up with the family. With Prince Philip's increasing frailty don't know whether that still happens, though.
I read a couple of years ago that the Queen and Prince Philip went regularly to have tea at Edward and Sophie's home and catch up with the family. With Prince Philip's increasing frailty don't know whether that still happens, though.
Also, let's not forget Sophie has known the Queen for longer than her marriage itself. I remember seeing pictures of them together as early as 1993.
Wow thanks for the information. Did not know a lot about their relationship. Kind of wish Kate would make an effort like Sophie has with The Queen. I believe Kate and The Queen have a heir like relationship since she is married to William a future king.From something I read here on TRF my understanding is the Queen was very solicitous of Sophie in the early years of her marriage when Sophie was having harrowing medical events happen around pregnancies. For example, having Sophie ride with her (the Queen) at events so Sophie didn't have to walk or stress herself, etc. At that time they became close. (The fact that Edward and Sophie are the royal couple that always go abroad to attend continental royal events suggests that they are able to socialize effortlessly and agreeably).
It helps that Edward and Sophie live very close to Windsor. I have always had the sense that Edward and Sophie are the family that show up at Windsor to visit the Queen on a Sunday afternoon on a regular basis. Others can correct me if I'm wrong.
Dare I dip into a comparison? In many ways Sophie and Meghan share a similar background: both are coming from careers that require personability and an ability to not only get along with most anyone but be able to put people at their ease. I would think that alone was refreshing for the Queen.
It's why I think if Meghan and Harry get a house near to the Queen (and Charles), like in the Cotswolds, it is more likely that there will be a steady interaction between Harry's family and the Queen and Charles, as well as Edward and Sophie, and Anne's family, who all live in that area.
But everyone always speaks highly of the Queen. It appears to be a given. To do otherwise would be unthinkable methinks. That's not to say Sophie does not have genuine admiration for the Queen. Especially given that they appear to be friends as well as in-laws.
BTW I have also read here on TRF that the Queen has been especially solicitous to Sophie's widowed father. Once his wife passed, the Queen made every effort to include the father at royal events, in carriage rides with her (the Queen), etc. That speaks to a close family relationship amongst that particular family grouping, I would say. Looks it to me.
LATER: Ah, this post....
Yes, this speaks to that kind of regular, every-day relationship. I'm not aware of any other family (outside of perhaps Anne's) that socialize with the Queen the way Edward and Sophie do. (Not even William and Kate).
Wow thanks for the information. Did not know a lot about their relationship. Kind of wish Kate would make an effort like Sophie has with The Queen. I believe Kate and The Queen have a heir like relationship since she is married to William a future king.
I think Charles hardly ever sees the Queen apart from joint official engagements and major family events.
I believe the Queen has only ever visited Highgrove about 4 times in the last 30+years.
It's a totally different kind of relationship. Sophie is the wife of the Queen's son and she has known her for 20-something years.
Kate is the wife of her grandson and much younger. It's not even comparable.
So William talks to the Queen regularly? How regularly? I did not know that about Harry and The Queen. That's interesting.Beatrice, Eugenie and Harry have all commented that they dropped in for tea with Granny and since they all lived at KP that would work well. Since William and Catherine have been married since 2011 how close they are is unknown to me. However, William takes regular instruction/chats and probably tea with Granny so it seems her "private personal tea time" was observed by her children, while her grandchildren "just drop in".
Interestingly, Sarah seems to take tea with HM and spends time at Sandringham when Philip is not there. She regularly says she adores the Queen and that she is the most forgiving person she knows.
Note: I remember reading that Harry is someone HM feels very confident about. So much so that when the Olympic stunt was floated she said she'd ask Harry what he thought before deciding.
Honestly, since the relationship with Meghan first hit I have been doing so much extraneous royal reading I can't remember what I read where!
I think Charles hardly ever sees the Queen apart from joint official engagements and major family events.
I believe the Queen has only ever visited Highgrove about 4 times in the last 30+years.
On the contrary - I have heard that they regularly have morning/afternoon tea together when free when both are in London and they do see each other quite a bit in Scotland.
That's true.I think that Ed and Sophie because they married add had their children late, are still at the "staying home with the kids" stage, whereas the other children have long since passed that stage. Their children are grown up, working and have children and busy lives...I also imagine that another reason Edward and Sophie are often seen at Windsor with the queen is due to still having young children. Louise and James are still young enough to not have regular plans at the weekend with friends (although I imagine Louise is starting to get there) so they go to Granny’s to see her to make sure they’ve seen their grandparents regularly. The other grandchildren spent a lot of time with their grandparents as children so Louise and James are doing what the rest have done, only they’re doing it 20 years later.
I've read Andrew doesn't care for Meghan. But I only read that once, with no corroboration with any other press, so I assumed it wasn't true.
The heir has to be built up at the expense of the second and Andrew therefore has to be portrayed as disliking Charles' future daughter-in-law just as Charles has to be shown as regarding Andrew's daughters as not up to standard.
As I stated in another thread, the media has a storyline that goes back decades, whoever is king or is going to be King/Queen is good while the other one is bad, and it only happens with the ones who are the same gender:
Albert Victor and George
Edward VIII and George VI
Margaret and Elizabeth
Charles and Andrew
William and Harry
In 2036 we can start seeing the commentators painting George as a saint and Louis as the bad boy prince.